World

Sumatra police headquarters attacked by 'sword-wielding' men

Four sword-wielding men who drove a car into a police headquarters building in Sumatra in Indonesia today and killed one officer, were shot dead in the latest incident in a spate of militant attacks across the country.

The four suspected terrorists drove a white minivan into Riau province's police headquarters while a fifth man, believed to be the driver, attempted to escape.

National police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said one officer, who was hit by the minivan, died and two more were injured.

Four sword-wielding men have been shot dead today after a car drove into a police building in Sumatra in Indonesia. Picture: Supplied.A white minivan drove into the police headquarters in the Riau province, killing at least one officer. Picture: Supplied.The man believed to have been the drive attempted to escape the scene before he was arrested. Picture: Supplied.

"When the car broke through into the Riau police headquarters, it was blocked by policemen," Wasisto told a local media.

"Then four of the men got out from the car and attacked police."

The attack comes after two separate bomb attack incidents that occurred earlier this week in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, carried out by two different families.

Today's attack comes after a family of six, including children as young as nine, launched suicide bomb attacks on multiple churches in Surabaya over the weekend. Picture: Supplied.The family drove a car and motorbikes into churches, which then exploded - killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 40 others. Picture: AAP.

On Sunday a family of six - including children as young as nine - launched multiple suicide bomb attacks on churches throughout the city, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 40 others.

"The husband drove the car, an Avanza, that contained explosives and rammed it into the gate in front of that church," East Java police spokesman Frans Barung Mangera told local media at the time.

The wife and two daughters were involved in an attack on a second church and at the third church, "two other children rode the motorbike and had the bomb across their laps," Mr Mangera said.

Police presence was bulked up across Surabaya and Jakarta in light of the first attack. Picture: AAP.

The two daughters were aged 12 and nine while the other two, thought to be the man's sons, were 18 and 16, police said.

Police blamed the bombings on the Islamic State-inspired group Jemaah Ansharut Daulah.

The following day a family of five - including an eight-year-old child - carried out another suicide attack by riding two motorbikes to a checkpoint outside of a police station, which then exploded and killed 12 innocent civilians.

A separate suicide bomb attack was launched the following day on Surabaya Police Station by a different family of five, killing 12 innocent civilians. Picture: Supplied.

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, has seen a recent resurgence in homegrown militancy and police said the family who carried out the first of the attacks were among 500 Islamic State sympathisers who had returned from Syria.

State police said the family who carried out the first attacks were among 500 Islamic State sympathisers who had returned from Syria. Picture: AAP.Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, has experienced a consistent spate of similar attacks recently. Picture: AAP.

"We stand in solidarity with the Government of Indonesia against this barbaric attack on peaceful religious gatherings," a government statement said.

"Our two nations share a common commitment to mutual respect and diversity and we reject those who seek to spread division and hatred."